Mixed Melodies

Mixed Melodies

By Doctor Cobra, co-authored by VSakuraPetalV

Chapter 1

In the darkened, musty backstage area of a certain nightclub in Baltimare, a club both reviled and renowned about as much as the city it sat on the street corner of, a white hoof adorned with bracelets of increasingly worn plastic beads clutched a piece of paper anxiously. A flier to be more specific, showing a graffiti-style profile image of a white unicorn with purple-tinted glasses and a spiky, unkempt blue mane. Below the artwork read DJ PON-3 LIVE. NOW TOURING EQUESTRIA - TROTTINGHAM, HOOFINGTON, BALTIMARE in some bizarre lettering.

The pony holding the flier at the moment was none other than the one described in the ad – the same perpetually messy mane, the same sunglasses she had such a unique attachment to, though at the moment they were tucked safely into the pocket of her immensely baggy white jeans. DJ Pon-3, known to her few close friends as Vinyl Scratch, sat up against a brick wall curled into a ball with her forelegs around her knees, the paper dangling from the tip of her hoof. The wall was hard, and she knew that it combined with the DJ legs she was bound to walk out of here tonight with was a combination she’d regret in the morning. But it was genuine solitude and to her that was enough for now.

Dressed in her usual black and white punk wardrobe, mane and tail even messier than usual after a rough night with little sleep (she hated sleeping on trains; had no unicorn really not thought of a way to magically silence the wheels?), Vinyl nursed a faint headache. She didn’t much care for traveling on the whole really, preferring local gigs that allowed her to remain in Ponyville rather than be sent abroad. But a gig was a gig and gigs meant bits. To be fair it did pay great, enough for a solid apartment on the edge of town. She just wished sometimes that she had somepony to share such spoils with.

Meanwhile, the audience, already buzzing with activity, was growing more boisterous in anticipation. DJ Pon-3 risking touring THIS town was kind of a big deal and the amount of ponies that had turned up might have surprised Vinyl herself at first glance. Despite the clubs’ reputation it did good business by attracting every aspect from formal to punk. Several of the well-dressed former sat at small tables near the back wall being served drinks by voluptuous mares in pale blue rubber minidresses. The zanier latter populated the crowded dance floor, made of glass with a huge pit of water beneath containing a live octopus. The wall-to-wall stage, adorned with several enormous speakers already, awaited Vinyl’s entrance with a turntable and two massive amps that would flank the DJ.

Off to one side was a massive bar with red neon inlays, its end-to-end shelved loaded with bottles. On a stool sat a single patron, Jade Eclipse, a powder gray unicorn whose semi spiked violet mane hung low to conceal her left eye. She calmly sipped a Red Corona as if barely noticing the ruckus around her. It was the kind of thing she was used to tuning out thanks to a musical career of her own. She was in fact kicking back after just finishing a gig with her part-time band at a coffee house club a few block away. Her bass currently rested in its case on the barstool beside her as if it was her date.

Jade sighed as the noise finally made her right ear flick a little. She had not exactly planned on being here tonight but when she’d heard that a guest DJ was going to be performing locally, her instinct told her to find out who this potential rival was. The revelation of who it was, however, had sent those sorts of thoughts from her mind. She had always enjoyed Vinyl’s work; from her music to her remixes of other popular songs to her brief stint as a radio show host, Jade was definitely what one would call a fan. Despite her outward calmness, she was thrilled to be here, about to watch Vinyl Scratch herself do her thing. Whether she would dance tonight, however, was up to her and her alone.

The loudest roar yet from the rowdy crowd carried backstage and Vinyl’s meditation came to an end. She spent the next several seconds trying slip into her stage personae. At last, the paper fell from her hoof and slid away along the backstage floor. She stood with a determined sigh, slowly pulled her shades from her pocket and slapped them on, and hitched up her pants to no effect, blue colt’s boxers with white polka dots remaining on show above the sagging waist. With a deep breath and a grin finally spreading across her face, Vinyl gave a signal to a stagehoof to kill the houselights; the audience definitely reacted when they snapped off save a few oscillating spotlights of blue and red.

“Hey, what the...!” exclaimed a rowdy pony in the audience before he was cut off by Vinyl’s husky voice cutting through the dark, amplified times ten!

“AAAAALL RIGHT, MUTHABUCKAS, ARE YOU READY FOR THESE WUBS OF DES-TRUC-TION?!?! Spotlights snapped on and revealed Vinyl standing behind the turntable, her glasses glinting. “BANG!” she cried, slamming on her equipment two-hoofed, blasting a wave of sound across the audience that nearly knocked their eyeballs inward. “WHO'S READY TO HAVE AN AWESOME TIME IN HERE IN BALTIMARE?” she continued, grinning manically. “DJ PON-3, THAT'S WHO!” And she began to do her thing.

As pleased as she was to entertain and bring bits home, Vinyl couldn't help but long for something a little less hard, especially in a city as bad as this. Looking around, staying in character the entire time and only her eyes moving behind her shades as the beats poured out from the giant amps, Vinyl couldn't help but notice the bar – the only place not filled with ponies moshing, grinding, or all but engaging in intercourse right there on the dance floor. Scanning the bar, she saw Jade, as well as her guitar case, and a truly light and fluttery feeling coursed impulsively through her even as she cranked her soundboard all the way up and blasted the roof off, beaming at her own power.

Jade also smiled at the sight of the mare onstage, admiring how wild yet still so in-control of her audience Vinyl was. She bobbed her head in time, feeling the rhythm pulsating through her body. With a swish, she finished off her drink and hopped off the stool. Tossing a bit down and ignoring an indifferent nod from the barkeep, she made her way to the edge of the throng and steadily transitioned into simple solo dance. Such movement came natural to her. The boom of the base, a sound she’d always liked, made her one good ear twitch metrically. Despite having listen to Vinyl’s work countless times before, what everypony said was true: nothing topped seeing her live.

But even in the crowd, Jade still felt a bit alone. The life of a traveling musician could get VERY lonely in fact, and despite having many friends and bandmates, some nights deserved to be spent with nopony other than one. The right stallion… or mare.

With a grimace, Jade shook her head slightly, clearing such thoughts and never once breaking her movement. Yeah, that was it. The beat. That was all the mattered tonight.

The pulsing music simmered down to a few slow, steady wubs as Vinyl drew to a close after about twenty minutes. “AWWW, YEAH!” she exclaimed into her mic, pumping her hooves ecstatically. “IS EVERYPONY HAVING A SWEET TIME?! EVERYPONY GETTIN' IT UP AND SHAKIN' THEIR HOOVE THANG?!”

Suddenly, a plastic bottle went soaring past her head, thrown by an obviously wasted punk stallion. “Hey, cutie!” the idiot called out, “I ain't got nopony to shake it with! Wanna remedy that?!” He leered up at Vinyl, pushing his way to the front of the stage. “All I want's a kiss,” he continued slurring. “Jus' one little kiss from... DJ Po... WHOA!” He suddenly recoiled as a laser fired from Vinyl’s horn seared the area of the stage right in front of him.

Vinyl smirked down at him as he quickly backed off. “Go cool off, hothead! I got more where that came from too!” she said.

Jade smiled at the antics before her, appreciating how the DJ, like herself, took no bull from drunk audience members. Almost before she could stop herself, she called out, “Ha! You show him girl!” She laughed lightly as a few others cheered and whistled Vinyl onward. “Im not sure about the rest of these slowpoke ponies but I’m havin’ an awesome time!” Jade continued. “Kick some tail, Pon-3! Keep it pumping!” She laughed again but still couldn’t believe she had just yelled out loud. Perhaps it was the strong drink working in her favor.

Vinyl, however, just grinned broader, glancing down over her glasses at the speaker. “You got it!” she called in Jade’s direction. “Hehe, I like your style, babe!” she chuckled as she cranked the knob up to eleven and blasted an awesome soundwave from the amp that sent the obnoxious stallion flying backward. Jade nearly lost her own balance as well, but her dance remained uninterrupted and she let out another breathy laugh. It wasn’t long before she was losing herself inside the music all over again, twirling around gracefully, swishing her tail back and forth and even sensuously running her hooves from her flanks all the way up the front of her chest. Eventually though, the music started to slow again and Jade made her way back to the bar to cool off with another round. “Hey,” she called to the barkeep, “Two Sunrises! And thanks for keeping an eye on my stuff,” she added, slipping him a few extra bits.

The bartender looked as disinterested as before. “Yeah, sure,” he replied before jerking his head toward the stage. “You know her or somethin'?” he asked.

“Huh?” the unicorn responded before catching on. “Oh, no way. Heck, this is my first time in this area.” She glanced back towards the stage. “I guess there’s just something about her energy that brings something… different out in me,” she found herself saying before clearing her throat by downing one of her drinks. “Ahem. Um, yeah. Quite an effect she has on ponies. I respect that in a fellow performer,” she said, her eyes returning to the fiery mare onstage.

“Eh, whatever. I barely hear her; I'm deaf after workin' here this long,” the bartender replied as Vinyl blowing off a final long, low buzz from the speakers signaled the concert was drawing to a close. Jade just giggled at him, ordered another drink and tipped him extra, her mind wandering again. Her horn glowed, a prominent sight in the dim light, and she levitated her bag onto her lap. Rummaging through it, she extracted a map which she lay flat on the bar and began examining by horn light. “In a hurry all of a sudden?” asked the barkeep.

Jade sighed softly. “Everypony’s been suggesting I take an extended vaca,” she replied, checking the surrounding towns. “I hear from a few that Ponyvile’s nice and quiet, and Celestia knows all I need right now is to unwind. And near Canterlot too, huh?” she pondered.

“And that's all this town's gonna hear from this girl for a while!” Vinyl cried, breaking Jade’s concentration. “Thank you, Baltimare! GOOD NIIIIGHT!” The lights smashed off, leaving only Vinyl's neon accessories glowing as she made her way offstage in the darkness, muttering to herself. “About time too.” She had to pee badly. “Been holding it since playing that Magic Show remix,” she thought. She took off her glasses as the lights come back up behind her and headed to her dressing room. After attending to her necessaries and packing up her personal things in a duffel bag of her own, she proceeded out a side exit to help some assistants load her equipment into a private carriage that was to take her to and from the hotel she was staying at for this, the second night of her tour. She had always been very hooves-on in that respect – she respected her hardworking helpers and had no problem pitching in when she knew they were just as tired as she was after shows.

Tonight though, for some reason, she had more on her mind to fully focus. She shot a glance back through the door and sighed before turning back to her stagehands. “Ya know what, guys?” she said, “Just take the stuff back and wait. Play charades with each other or something. If I don't get a drink right now, I'm gonna be keeling over in ten. So yeah, go on ahead."

“You sure, Miss Scratch?” one of the stallions asked, concerned. “At least have somepony keep an eye on you.”

Vinyl shook her head. “No, not tonight. I won't be long, cross my eye or whatever,” she said flaty. “I'm just gonna knock a few back and then be home.”

The stallion was still a little worried but understood. “Well, alright. Good luck, V.”

“Throw me my jacket, would ya?” Vinyl asked. Another hand tossed her a white denim longcoat with the same black accoutrements as her jeans. “Thanks,” said Vinyl. She put it on and headed back inside, trying to avoid the dispersing crowd as she trotted over to the bar and plopped onto the stool right next to Jade, even though all Vinyl’s attention was focused on the bartender. “Hey! Boscoe! Bullet bourbon on the rocks,” she ordered, then added, “Big rocks.”

Boscoe rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, pouring a drink with a lot of ice. “Nice job up there, I'll give ya,” he told the DJ. “Really know how ta keep 'em on their hooves.”

Vinyl sighed, taking a somber drink. “Think that's good you should see me...” Only then did she glance over at Jade who was still sipping her own drink and looking at her map. “'Sup,” Vinyl said casually. “That you I heard yelling at that idiot earlier?”

Jade looked up in surprise. “H-hey,” she stuttered. “Yeah, that was, uh, me. Got a bit into it; never like it when a heckler ruins a show.” She paused. “Actually, wanted to say what a dazzling show you put on. Didn’t think I’d get a chance to.” Indeed, the fact that she was remaining this composed while talking her one of her longest standing idols was a downright shock to her. “I haven’t felt beats running through me like that in a while,” Jade continued. “And to get me to dance… well, you sure you aren’t using magic?” she joked, glancing back at her drink. “What are you havin’?” she asked Vinyl. “I’ll buy you one for a job well...” Then she remembered how odd this must seem to Vinyl, being offered another round by somepony she didn’t even know yet. Jade held out her hoof with a grin. “The name’s Jade Eclipse by the way."

With a crooked smile, Vinyl casually brohoofed her. “Name's Vinyl Scratch. I drop basses. And this...” She slammed her now empty glass down. “...is Bullet, straight from Appleoosa. Not many places carry it outside there. Reload, Boscoe.” After getting a refill, she looked back at the pony next to her. “So, Jade, thanks for... all that I guess. I'm kinda used to to it at my shows though and, believe me, for this city, that was nothing. I've played here twice before and, I'll tell ya, no wonder ponies say never to come here at all. But I digress.” She shrugged, knocking back her second mug. “So what'cha doin' out here?” she asked before spotting the guitar case. “Mm, nice,” she said, gesturing to it. “You touring here too?”

Laying down bits for another drink for the both of them, the gray unicorn nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been with a small band that’s local here. Been here for about three days; last show was tonight. I’m sorta a freelance bassist, playing with whatever bands lack that last member but really, lot of them are just friends of friends who I’ve met over the years.”

Once again, her mind slapped her in the face with the fact that she was telling all this to DJ Pon-3 herself but Vinyl seemed genuinely interested, nodding in calm approval as she sipped her bourbon. “Hm, nice,” said Vinyl. “I’ve tried my hoof at the electric guitar before. Just never got the same kinda coordination for it that I do for just spinnin' the records.”

“I write my own stuff too now and again, kinda like you,” Jade continued. “After this though, I thought I’d take a breakation for a bit. Could go back home to Chi town but I dunno.” She glanced back at the map. “Rather go somewhere more quiet and such, get my mind together. Um, where’s home for you?” she asked Vinyl.

The white unicorn hopped off the stool and hiked up her pants. “My manager got me this hotel for the weekend. I hate traveling but I sure do like the accommodations for when I get where I'm going!” she chuckled. “Hey, I'm feeling better already; I was nursing a whopper of a headache. Thanks for that too, by the way,” she said, nodding toward the bits. “So, what's your deal? Comin' home with me or what?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jade couldn’t help blushing. “W-what do you mean?” she awkwardly stammered. “I was just paying you a compliment. Y’know, one artist to another? Plus you seemed like you could use the drink. I’m not trying to come on to you. I’m not like that.” She felt herself go even redder at that defense. “I’m sorry for that,” she muttered, ears drooping and eyes darting down. “I should go.” She threw down a few more bits, grabbed her things and began to head out the door. “G’night!”

Vinyl just stood there, looking a little stunned. “Hm,” was all she finally said after a bit. Then something told her she couldn’t just end the encounter there. These things have to at least go out on a high note! “Uh, night Boscoe!” she called to the bartender before hurrying after Jade. “H-Hey! Wait up, babe!” she said as she caught up to her outside the club. It's cool, I know you weren't being flirty or anything. It's just... the environment and... She cut off with a shrug. “Never mind. I just meant...”

“I’m sorry,” Jade interrupted, still very red. “I shouldn’t have just assumed anything. It’s just, um… well, er… yeah. Sorry,” she finally managed.

“We're both in the same boat kinda, aren’t we?” Vinyl asked, nodding understandingly. “Looking to get away from all this and just calm down before hittin' the hay. Where, um... Where was it you said you were going?”

“Well I was going to catch the late night train tonight,” Jade said. “Don’t feel like hanging around here to long. Been hearing that Ponyville’s a decent spot to clear your head. So I was gonna head there for who knows how long, maybe rent an extended stay motel or something, send for my things from there. I’m sure you understand. You know Ponyville?”

Leaning against a wall, Vinyl broke out into a smiled. “That's where I'm from!” she exclaimed.

Jade was pleasantly surprised. “What, really? How random is that?” she laughed.

“Yeah, it's a great town; everypony knows everypony, that kinda thing,” Vinyl explained. “Anyhoof, this was the last night of my tour so I'll be going back tomorrow. Um, so I guess... unless...” She tried to think of a way to put this without seeming overly forward. “Would you maybe want to meet back up sometime? There's nothing you can't do in Ponyville,” she said casually.

It didn’t take five seconds for Jade to respond. “Yeah! I’d love to hang with you! Heck, it’d be my pleasure!” she said, smiling as well. “Plus, since that’s your home, you would know more of the cooler stuff there. How should I get in contact with you once I get there?”

Vinyl had come prepared for this question. “Uhhh, let's see,” she said, feeling around her many pockets. “Heh, got it!” She pulled a piece of paper out and hoofed it over to Jade – one of the DJ Pon-3 fliers with contact info at the bottom. “Spare want ad,” Vinyl said. “In case I run into talent scouts on the street. But I guess that'll do. That's my number and address right down there. So I guess, uh, call me?” She went a little pink at the somewhat girly wordage and hitched up her pants again awkwardly.

Beaming, Jade thanked her. “I guess I’ll drop you a line once I get there and get settled down,” she said.

“Awesome,” said Vinyl simply. “And... thanks. I really don't have company too often. I guess I am a little... unapproachable to some.” She sighed. “Sooo... later, babe?”

Her new friend nodded. “Yeah, I better hurry. Don’t want to miss my train. But I’ll be seeing ya!” The two bumped hooves again and then Jade was on her way.

Vinyl stood there, hooves in her coat pockets, just watching her leave. Watched her tail swishing, watched her tight plot in tighter black jeans wiggling slightly as the guitarist cantered off. Vinyl shook her head and realized she was standing in the foreboding shadow of the club; she turned on the spot to take a final look at it – a square, single story brick building with blue tinted windows, a fifteen-foot cylinder in the center lit by blue neon lights forming the club's name, the outside walls currently covered with DJ Pon-3 posters like the one she had just given Jade. Jade, a genuine new friend. It was hard to think of the last time Vinyl had just met somepony out of the blue and agreed to hang out with them in such a short time frame. ‘At least neither of us actually used the word ‘date’,’ she thought to herself, turning back around. Jade was gone from her view now, however. “Good luck out there,” Vinyl murmured before teleporting away.